Combination stirring and mixing paddle and container scraper



Nov. 18, 1958 A. KURS 2,860,858

COMBINATION STIRRING AND MIXING PADDLE AND CONTAINER SCRAPE R Filed April 4, 195a IINVENTOR. K U R S ATTORN Evs United States Patent COMBINATION STIRRING AND MIXING PADDLE AND CONTAINER SCRAPER 'Abraham Kurs, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application April 4, 1958, Serial No; 726,555 1 Claim; or. 2594144 This invention relates generally to combination hand tools. More particularly, the invention has reference to a device which can be used as a mixing paddle for paint or any other wholly or semi-liquid substance; as a scraper, adapted for scraping the bottom and sides of glass jars, canshaving friction tops, and other containers; as a device for prying friction lids off cans; and as a device for scraping paint residues from paint rollers and the like.

The invention is so designed that the device can be made at a very low cost, considering the benefits to be obtained from the use thereof. In, this connection, the devicecomprises a single piece of flat material, which can be of molded plastic, wood, or the like. Thus, it will be seen that the device can be formed at an extremely low manufacturing cost, sowthatv it can either besold at a low cost to the consumer, or alternatively, can even be a complimentary item, bearing advertising material orthelike. f

In addition,the=invention iszsuch. that it is extremely compact, and capable not only of storage in a small. space, but also capable of being packed in large quantities in relatively small areas. This latter feature, of course, adds measurably to the value of the device, since it reduces the cost of shipment thereof. I, 7

Still further, the invention is so designed that it can be. adapted for many purposes; The invention ean. be usedin connection witlf'paint containers and painting equipment. Alternatively, it might be used in connection with food containers, not only for the purpose of.

facilitating the removal of the food container lids, but also, for the purpose of scraping from the side walls and bottom of the food container any of various heavy or viscous materials, such as syrup, jellies, etc.

Still further, the invention is designed to facilitate its insertion and removal into heavy liquids, and in addition, the device may be readily adapted for stirring in a very eflicient manner the contents of the container.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claim appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a device according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof on a reduced scale, as it appears when in use during the scraping of a side wall of a glass jar, the jar being partially in longitudinal section and partly in side elevation.

Figure 3 is a view like Figure 2 showing the device in use during the scraping of the inside of a container of the type having a friction lid, such as a paint can.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the device in use during the scraping of paintresidue from a painting roller.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the device comprising the present invention has been generally designated 10, and includes an elongated, fiat, approximately rectangular body 12 the opposite longitudinal edges 13 of which are straight and in parallel relation. At its lower end, the body 12 has an end edge 14 which is cut off squarely to the edges 13, that is, the'end edge 14 extends perpendicularly to the edges 13.

The end edge 14 is beveled off, as shown to perhaps best advantage in Figure l, as at 15. Where the edge 14 intersects with one edge 13, said one edge 13 and the end edge 14 are caused to intersect squarely at right angles. However, where the edge 14 intersects with the other longitudinal edge 13, the body 12 is rounded off as at 11 in a preferred embodiment. a

At 16 I form a rectangular, relatively deep notch in one of the longitudinal edges 13, and said notch is disposed intermediate the ends of said one edge 13, though closer to the upper end of theone edge 13 than to the lower end thereof.

The other longitudinal edge 13 terminates at a rounded corner 17, which merges into a shoulder 18 ofiset inwardly from and disposed in parallel relation to the adjacent longitudinal edge 13. l

Shallow, arcuatefindentations 20 are formed in the opposite sides of a handle 22 that is integral with the body, the body merging into the handle at the location of the rounded corner 17. Handle 22 may have anopening 24 to permit the device to be suspended from a nail or similar means when not in use. At its upper end, the

handle 22 has a tapered, beveled upper end edge 26, said edge having the shape of a screw driver bit, so that it can be engaged under a friction lid, such as the lid of a paint can. In these circumstances, the device can be used to pry the lid off the paint can, or ofl? a food container such as a jar, etc. I a v Designated at 28 is a glass jar. This comprises no part of the present invention, but is shown to illustrate oneuse of the device. As Will be noted, the device may be disposed upright in the jar. The corner 11 is disposed in engagement with the complementarily shaped lower endofthe sidewall 29 of the glass jar, with the edge 14 being disposed in engagement with the bottom of the jar. The'rounded corner 17' is engaged against and is complementary to the inwardly directed overhanging lip or flange 30 of the glass jar. Shoulder 18 may be disposed against the inner surface of a neck 31 of the ar.

It will be seen that With the device positioned as in Figure 2, it can be moved about the inner surface of the jar. When so moved, it will scrape sticky or viscous residues from the inner surface of the side wall 29, and will be particularly efiicient in scraping clean relatively inaccessible or crevice-defining portions, such as the overhang 30 or the rounded lower end portion of the side wall 29. Ordinarily, it is very difiicult to remove residues from this location, without substantial effort on the part of the user.

The device eliminates these difliculties, and at the same time, scrapes the bottom of the jar.

The device of course could be used for stirring the contents of the jar, as will be readily apparent. Further, the end 26 can be used for prying off the lid, not shown, of the jar.

In Figure 3, the device is shown in use for scraping clean the inner surface of a container 32 of the type that has a friction lid engaged therewith. This is the usual type of paint can, and this container has an inwardly directed flange 34 which forms a squared-off overhang 35 that is very diflicult to scrape clean, ordinarily.

The invention, however, is so designed that the device is merely turned side for side, from Figure 2 position thereof. In other words, there is now engaged with the inner surface of the side wall of the container 32 that edge 13 in which notch 16 is formed. This edge engages the inner surface of the container32. Further, this..is.-

the edge that intersects with the end edge 14 squarely, so that at the squared-off lower end of the container, there vice for scraping cleanany residues that would accumulate at this location.

It will be observed that inthese circumstances,- the device when moved about the inner surface of the container Will again scrape. clean the inside-of the sidewall of the container, and will also scrapeaclean the bottom-of the container.

Further, the devicecan beused for mixingthe com-- tainer contents.

With respect to the adaptability-ofthe device for mix-H ing.purposes,.it.will beunderstood that. if desired, it could be provided with perforations inrthe body .12,:so;that the. liquid thatis being .agitatedmay .passthroughisaid perforations to facilitate the stirring action. This is considered sufficiently obvious so as not to require special illus-.

tration herein;

is a correspondingly squared-'corrien portion =of the: de-

Further, the beveled formation of. the. edge.14..is. 1

adapted to .permitthetool to slip intoheavy liquids with 1 minimum diificulty, even though saidliquids may .be.al+ most entirely solidified.. Thiswouldbe true, for example, of some paints that have not been used for long periods of time and have remainedwithout. stirring through said time.

The invention is. further .designedso as to breakup-any. particles that may be formed, in. the container, and.is..

designed to cause the container to be scraped;clean swift-.

ly and easily, withno more than one ortwo turns of the. Particularly important. .is. the adaptability of the device, for :scraping; residues from; places where they would ordinarily resist-.removal, such; as overhangs, crevices, etc. found in the ordinary type of..:

device in the container.

container.

In Figure 4 the device is shown in1use.scraping clean: a paint roller 36 having the usual handle 38. The arcuate indentations are used for this purpose. Either indentation receives the roller, and. the deviceis merely shifted longitudinally of the roller. to scrape paint residues therefrom.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, sinceit. maybealtilized. for-any. .purpose .to which it may be suited. Nor is the. invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of.

side edge a notch proportioned to receive the overhanging lipof a paintcan, saidstrip having a'straight bottom endedge perpendicularly --intersecting said one side edge to form a squarecorner'at-the-'lower end of said one-side edge,- adapted to complement-a correspondingly square corner of a paint can the 'overhanginglip of which is en gaged in the notch of=said one=side edge,'the other side edge having a rounded corner at its lowereend merginginto said bottomedge to complement the rounded corner defined in a jar at the intersection of the side andbottom walls thereof, said other side edge-having a rounded up-- per cornermerginginto a straight, longitudinally extending-shoulder that extendsparallel to,-and -is -oifset by theupper corner-inwardly from, said: other edge, for-engagement :of :the =upper momen -against th'e -complementarily rounded overhang of a jar simultaneously with engage ment of :said: shoulder against-the innepsurfat'ce 0f the jar neck.v

ReterencesCitedtin therfile of-this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,498,509 Arnold ,Iunel7, 19.24 2,658,730 Mignolet Nov. 10, 1953 -.-"--".----v- ]an-, 

